Washing machine



Aug. 4, 1959 L. M. MILLER WASHING MACHINE Filed June 29, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVEN TOR.

. MI! ler His Attorney 1959 M. MILLER 2,897,665 WASHING MACHINE Filed June 29, 1954 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Lester M Miller His Attorney Aug. 4, 1959 1.. M. MILLER WASHING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 29, 1954 e PARTS KWISE NTER- CLOCKWISE INVENTOR. Lester M. Mil/er CLOCKWISE SPIN N SPIN DRIVE NON ROTATION Aug. 4, 1959 M. MILLER WASHING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 29, 1954 B m amm 1V8 M .m N T O 5 3 O 0 0L 4 2 .H R6C A 5 T .l 5 m 9 8 4 2 Wm 2r a &m Q. N 4 K RC l 1 ,h -1 0.0.- I- J| mm a 1 J 2/4 A a a z 7 z 7 4 B38 s I I I| 1 \E u v p. 4 m w 8. R 3 52 I TE m 6 7 67 N7 80 U. W C w MB I 5 52w 3 TR M m 2 Y 3 6 INVENTOR. Lester M. Miller His Attdrney WASHING MACHINE Lester M. Miller, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application June 29, 1954, Serial No. 439,970

4 Claims. 01. 68-23) This invention relates to domestic appliances, and more particularly to an automatic clothes washing machine.

An object of this invention is to provide a clothes washing machine having a tub in an upper compartment and a power unit in a lower compartment. The tub axis is gyrated to produce a clothes washing action and the tub is spun at a relatively high speed to produce a clothes wringing action. A gyration counterweight vis provided in the upper compartment rotating at gyration speed during gyration and remaining stationary during spinning action.

Another object of this invention is to provide a wash- .ing machine, as set forth in the foregoing object, in which the tub is rotated at slow speed during gyration.

Further objects and advantages of the-present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference-being had to-the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section, somewhat diagrammade, of a washing machineembodying features of my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-section, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the mechanism shown in Figure 1. 1

Figure 3 is a cross-section taken along the line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view indicating the drive connections for spinning the-tub.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view indicating the ,drive for gyration and slow rotation ofthe tub.

2,897,665 Patented Aug. 4, 1959 rotates a motor shaft 21 at substantially equal speeds and opposite directions respectively .for Washing the clothes and for wringing the clothes.

When the motor and shaft 21 rotate counterclockwise (Figure 5) for washing, the gears 22 and 23 .drive the shaft 24 through the action of a spring slipping clutch 2.5. The shaft 24 drives the gear'28, which in turn drives the gear 29, sleeve 30 and. eccentric -31 at substantially 300 r.p.m. in a clockwise direction when looking downward at the machine. The eccentric 31 rotates within, and is in bearing relationship with, the collar 32. The collar 32 has fixing and freeing means which hold the collar 32 in fixed position to produce gyration of the tub, and to free the collar to terminate such gyration, and to permit the tub to he spun at clothes wringing speed without gyration. When the eccentric 31 is rotated at 300 r.p.m., the collar 32 is held in fixed position, thus causing the tub shaft 41 and tub axis to gyrate counterclockwise at 300 r.p.m.

In addition, the tub may be rotated at a slow speed (60 r.p.m. clockwise) in a direction opposite from gyration and during such gyration. To this end, a gear 45 .is fixed on shaft 24 and rotates the gear 46 through the medium of gear 45a, idling on pin 45b carried by stationary support 450 carried by unit 15. The gear 46 is connected to tub shaft 41 byone-way spring clutch 47 which clutches and declutches double cup member 72 which is fixed to tub shaft 41 through themedium of pin 73. The shaft 41 is turned counter clockwise.

A gyration counterbalancing Weight 50 is placed in the tub compartment 12 and rotates at gyration speed during gyration and remains stationary during the clothes spin. To this end, the eccentric .31 is secured to a sleeve 52-which surrounds the shaft 41 andpasses up through the water seal '53 and has the counterweight .50

- secured thereto. The weight 50 rotates whenever the Figure 6 is a horizontal cross-section taken along the i the casing into an upper tub-compartment 12 and a P lower power unit'compartment 13. A tub 14 is located .in the upper compartment 12 and a power unit 15 is located in thelower compartment 13. A water seal 16 ,is supported by the bulkhead 11 and permits a transmission means to pass from the power unit 15 to the tub 14, while sealing the bulkhead against the downward passage of liquid at this point.

The power transmission mechanism or means causes the tub axis to .gyrate and produce a clothes washing action, causes the tub to spin at arelati-vely high speed to producea-clothes wringing action, and causes the tub to rotate in an opposite direction from gyrationat rela tively slow speed during such gyration to aid in tumbling and agitating the clothes and to keep them from collecting in a pile and shifting off balance. Briefly stated, the lower part 20 of the unit 15 contains a motor which eccentric 31 rotates, and remains stationary during the spinning action, because .the eccentric 31 also remains stationary during such spinning action. This counterweight 50 is on the side .opposite from the off-center throw of the gyratory movement, and tends to countervbalance the off-center weight of the tub and clothes which becomes'concentratedon such :off-center side of the gyratory movementof the tub. The action ofcounterweight 50 is not'disturbed by the slow rotation of the .tub pro .duced by gear'46.

The centrifugal high :speed (1140 r.p.m.) spinning operation drive is shown inFigure 4. The motor shaft 21, spinning in a clockwise direction, drives the cuplike member 7 0-through the pin 71. The one-way spring clutch 65'is fixed-on member 70 and engages the double ,cup member 72 and drives it in a clockwise direction. The double cup member 72 drives the shaft 41 also in a clockwise direction through :the pin 73. The tub shaft 41 rotates the tub in a clockwise direction at a high centrifugal speed for extracting water from the clothes. During the spinning-operation the gear 23 rotates, and so does the one-way spring clutch 25 which is fixed ,to .the gear 23. However, the spring .clutch 25 does not engage the hub 44, and'hence the shaft 24 remains stationary, so that'the gearing leading to the eccentric 31 vdoes notgdrive the eccentric, andthe tub is 'freeto spin on .its own selected axis. Also, theione-way spring clutch 47, which is secured to ;the gear 46 does 'not-engagethe double cap member 72 and hence the gear- 46 is not driven during the high speed spin operation.

' The gyration and slow speed -.rotation drive .is indicated in Figure 5. The motor shaft 2.1 ,isIQtated counter.- clockwise. It produces gyration by rotating the eccentric 31 also counterclockwise. The drive between the shaft 21 and the eccentric 31 is through gears 22, 23, spring clutch 25, hub 44, pin 75, shaft 24, gears 28 and 29, sleeve 30 and eccentricfil. The ratio of the gearing is such that the *eccentric- 31 rotates approximatelyat 300 r.p.m. in a counterclockwise direction, when looking down on the apparatus. T p Baring gyration -the- -tub'-' 14 and tub shaft 41 a're rotated in a clockwise direction at a slow speed of 60 rpm. The drive from the'motor shaft 21 to the tub shaft 41 is through gears 22} 23, spring clutch'25, hub 74, pin 75, shaft 24, gear 45, idler gear 45a, gear 46, oneway spring clutch 47, which is fixed to gear 46,'and "engages double cup member 72, which in turn drives shaft- 41 through the medium of pin 73. At this time, the spring clutch 65 does not engage the double cup member72. f The powenunit 15 preferably is supported on aresilient' support 60 at the bottom of the cabinet 10, and theiaxis -ofgyration which is" produced for agitation moves in an inverted cone about this support as an apex,

zintl tlfe axis ofthe rotating tub passes continually through this apex, whichis the center of this support 60. I During the spinning operation, the seal or cone 16 and the support 60 cooperate to allow a free motion of the tub axis due to any unbalanced weight of the clothes, but

such'movement is not of the same character as the 300 rpm. gyration produced by the eccentric 31. I

In the operation of the machine, clothes are placed in the tub 14 together withdetergent. Water is introduced through the funnel 61 from the hot and cold water supplies 62 and 63. After the tub has been filled, the motor drives the eccentric 31 (Figure 5) at 300 rpm. to produce gyration in counterclockwise direction through the medium of gear 29, and slowly rotates the tub 14 in clockwise direction at 60 rpm. through the medium of gear 46, as shown in Figure 5. This produces a clothes washing action which is accentuated by the central cone 64 within the basket. After a suitable length of time, the motor is reversed (Figure 4), whereupon the motor shaft 21 drives the tub shaft 41 through the medium of one-way spring clutch 65 while the shaft 24 remains idle because of the loosening action of spring clutch25. The tab 14 is driven at relatively high clothes wringing speed (1140 rpm.) while the eccentric 31 remains stationary. This extracts the excess moisture from the clothes, and the water is distributed into the compartment 12' and 'down through the pipe 66 to a motor driven pump, not shown, from whence it is discharged through a pipe to the stationary tubs or drain, in the usual manner.

The washing machine may be controlled by a timer, not shown, which energizes the various parts of the mechanism. In addition, the washing machine may be combined with a drying air circulating system substantially as shown in the application of Byron L. Brucken, Ser. No. 439,989, for Domestic Appliances, filed June 29, 1954, concurrently herewith, and the timer disclosed in said application, as well as other corresponding mechanism may operate as disclosed in said application with the exception that the counterbalancing weight 50 of this application and its drive is modified in this application in the manner indicated.

, The timer may repeat the tub filling, tub gyrating and tub spinning cycle two or more times to produce a rinsing action in addition to the detergent washing action, as is well known; and, if desired, the drying action described in the Brucken application may be added to the understood that other forms might be adopted as may meat; a tub in said tub compartment; a power unit in said power compartmentrpower"transmitting mechanism passing through said bulkhead from said power unit to said tub for producing an'agitation action by gyrating the axis of said tub in one direction while simultaneously rotating said tube at relatively slow speed about said axis in the opposite direction and for producing a wringing action by a relativelyhigh speed rotation of said tub; a counterbalancing Weight in said tub compartment to counterbalance said gyrating movement of said tub; and means passing through said bulkhead to drive said counterbalancing weight from said power unit in counterbalancing movement.

2. In combination: a casing; a bulkhead dividing said easing into an upper tub compartment and a lower power compartment; a tub in said tub compartment; a power unit in said power compartment; a rotary tub drive shaft rotationally fixed to said tub andpassing through said bulkhead; a gyratory sleevesurroundingsaid drive shaft; an eccentric fixed to said sleeve below said bulkheadfa collar surrounding saideccentric in bearing relationship to said eccentric; collar fixing and freeing means to fix said collar for producing gyration of said drive shaft and tub and to free said collar to terminate said gyration; gyration transmission means to rotate said :eccentric from said power unit while said tub is not rotating at clothes centrifuging speed; rotation transmission means from said power unit to rotate said rotary drive shaft and tub at clothes centrifuging speed while said eccentric is sta 'tionary; and a gyration counterbalancing weight rotated simultaneously with said eccentric in said tub compartment. I

' 3 In combination: a casing; a bulkhead dividing said casing into an upper tub compartment and a lower power compartment; a tub in said tub compartment; a power unit in said power compartment; a rotary tub drive shaft rotationally fixed to said tub and passing through said bulkhead; a gyratory sleeve surrounding said drive shaft; aneccentric fixed to said sleeve below said bulkhead; a collar surrounding said eccentric in bearing relationship to said eccentric; collar fixing and freeing means to fix said collar for producing gyration of said drive shaft and tub and to free said collar to terminate said gyration; gyration transmission means to rotate said eccentric from said power unit while said tub is not rotating at clothes centrifuging speed; rotation transmission means from said power unit to rotate said rotary drive shaft and tub at clothes centrifuging speed while said eccentric is stationmy and to rotate said shaft and tub slowly while said eccentric is rotated; and a gyration counterbalancing weight rotated simultaneously with said eccentric in, said tub compartment.

4. In combination: a casing; a bulkhead dividing said casing into an upper tub compartment and a lower power compartment; a tub in said tub compartment; a power unit in said power compartment; transmission means passing through said bulkhead from said power unit to said tub to induce positively gyration of the axis of said tub in one direction to produce an agitating action; means for simultaneously rotating said tub at relatively slow speed about said axis in the opposite direction; means for spinning said tub at relatively high speed to produce a wringing action; and a gyration counterweight in said tub compartment rotating at gyration speed during agitating action and remaining stationary during spinning action.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,396,165 Kirby Mar. 5, 1946 2,578,278 Archbold Dec. 11, 1951 2,658,372 Kirby Nov. 10, 1953 

